Aquinas' definition of different types of acts and goods

Internal and external acts: intention and action
Aquinas made a distinction between the intention of an act and the act itself - it is not acceptable to do a bad act intentionally even if the aim is to bring about a good outcome

• This approach of understanding intention is at the heart of the doctrine of double effect: even if a good act results in bad consequences, it is still right to do that act even if it was known that bad consequences would result (the important issue is the intention)

Classical formations of the doctrine of double effect require four conditions to be met if an action is to be morally permissible:

• That we do not wish the evil effects and make all reasonable efforts to avoid them
• That the immediate effect be good in itself
• That the evil…